Desert Fact of the Day: Baja Geology
Baja California's desert landscape is a testament to the geological forces that have shaped the region over millions of years. The Sierra de San Pedro Mártir range rises dramatically, with peaks that exceed 10,000 feet, and the highest summit, Picacho del Diablo, reaches 10,157 feet. This majestic range is home to towering granite monoliths, immense boulder fields, and rugged canyons that showcase the geological diversity of the region.
Valle de los Cirios, another remarkable geological feature, is known for its unique landscape of towering granite monoliths, massive boulders, and the namesake cirio trees, a.k.a. boojums, which are characterized by their swollen trunks and whimsical forms. (Cirio, from an old Spanish word meaning Paschal candle, refers to the roughly conical shape of boojum trunks.)
These geological wonders stand as testaments to the immense forces that have shaped the Baja California desert over millions of years.
Desert Fact of the Day is a project of the nonprofit Desert Advocacy Media Network. D.A.M.N. also produces the 90 Miles from Needles desert protection podcast, and Letters From the Desert, an email newsletter by desert writer Chris Clarke.